Thursday, February 08, 2007

Old Towne Mall- Singing Security Guard in Restaurant

Quaint Restaurants are Found Throughout the Mall

Old Towne was most noted for its famous double decker carousel, but by the look of this photograph, the restaurants should have been equally famous. Actually, I do not personally remember any eateries besides the food court. This picture shows people having fun and relaxing in one of the "quaint" restaurants. I like how the security guard is having a conversation with some of the customers. The security guards at malls today do not seem as jovial, and I doubt I would have as pleasant a conversion with one. I guess this answers my question as to what mall Santas do the rest of the year. One more item of note in this picture is if you look way in the corner to the right of the stove, you'll see someone under 40 years old. Just like Disneyland, Old Towne was meant to be a place for the old and young to have fun together. Leave the food court to the youth, grandma and Grandpa will take this restaurant.

Does anyone out there have any information on what restaurants were at Old Towne Mall? I don't have the name of this one. Even food court restaurant names are welcome.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice photo, Bob...where did you find that one?

I could be wrong but I think this restaurant was located near the center of the mall near the dble decker carousel...not 100% sure..please , someone give us more info on this.

Like Rico in Nap Dynomite...wish I could go back in time...not 1982 but rather 1976.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you're really pulling them out, eh? That picture is something I definetely do not remember, although I share the exact recolections of the previous comments in the other Old Town posts. I do remember some sort of food next to the shooting gallery, but without picture reference it's pretty hazy!

Mr. Bob, thank you for these posts...info on Old Town is extremely scarce, and as you can see its very popular among fellas our age. For some reason my father who was a photographer at the time never took pics of me there!

More!

B said...

Thanks for the comments. I am in the process of finding more information on some of the shoppes from the mall(Their names at least). I contacted the L.A. county reference services, and they should send me some more info soon. Funny thing is the woman who helped me was from Torrance and we ended up talking about the double decker carousel!

Anonymous said...

This does look like the interior of the Belgian Waffle House. If you were coming in from Hawthorne Blvd at the Carousel entrance, it was just past (east) the Carousel and to the immediate left. The Bee ride used to be to the right of the restaurant. The ride was replaced by the coin toss games in late 70s. As I remember, this singing Cop's name is/was Bruce.

Thank you for this site and posts. I worked at the mall 1975-1978/9.

Anonymous said...

This is definatelt The Belgium Waffle. I worked down the way in 1980 and went there every day for fries and 1000.

Anonymous said...

There was a steak house called The Coach Stop Inn. I have the original wooden sign they threw away when it closed. Lisa's Roast Beef in the food court had the BEST chinese food.

Anonymous said...

That is the Begian Waffle house. I knew the owners and met my wife there. I miss that place!

PMcD said...

I used to work at Old Towne at Kingdom of Oz (Sega Center)from 1980 to 1982 and hung out there many many years as I only lived 2 blocks away.

They also had a restaurant called Fritzenkotter's. It was a sandwich show with all sandwiches named after famous people..

I knew quite a few of the food court shops and always ate there. Ming's Chinese food. Don's Frontier Burgers, the Greek place with the awasome Gyro sandwiches.

I knew and went to school with the guy that did the pantomime and juggled there. Bruce the cop was a cool dude, always had something good to say.

Great memories, I'll try to get some more pics of the mall for you.

B said...

That would be great! I always welcome personal pictures of the mall.

jason said...

This is defnitely the Belgian Waffle Cafe. I worked there was I was 15 in 1988-89 and was there when the Old Towne Mall was closed. Yes, it was a few doors down from the carousel; next to it on the south side of the entrance was an open space in which the mall used to decorate for holidays- particularly Christmas, where the Santa would sit - it was very elaborate. Across from the Belgian Waffle cafe was a Federated group and a book store - I think it was Crown but maybe B. Dalton; Before I worked there I grew up with my grandparents and aunt taking me to Old Towne to go on the carousel and on other rides that were built into the building just as the stores were. It was my first job and a great experience. The Belgian Waffle Cafe had been there since the mall was built. It was kind of sad when the mall shut down. Now it is just a typically bland strip mall.